Kirkland Performance Center?s eighth season will electrify the Eastside with an amazing array of artists appearing throughout the year.
In response to our audience?s request for high-profile entertainment, the season will feature pop diva Rita Coolidge, the sultry Cowboy Junkies, the legendary James Cotton Blues Band, the outrageous antics of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo plus scores of others. Building on a successful seventh season, our 2005-2006 line-up features more presented artists and more variety than ever before.
IN THE MOOD, 1940S REVUE - SEPTEMBER 18
The season kicks off with a musical extravaganza that invokes a time when music moved the nation. In The Mood features a rousing big band and remarkable dancers and vocalists who lovingly celebrate The Swing Era, featuring the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskin Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra, and many more.
JAKE SHIMABUKURO - SEPTEMBER 30
Called the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele ? whether this young international sensation is playing the uke with his teeth, covering Beatles tunes, or tackling the intricacies of Paganini with nothing but four strings and a stageful of energy, the only sure thing about a performance from ?The Ukulele Wizard? of the Islands is that you?ll have an incredible time.
THEATER TERRA, FROG AND HIS FRIENDS - OCTOBER 8
?It?s the night before the movers come and Max just can?t sleep. What if he doesn?t like the new house... or the new school... or the new kids?? At once realistic and reassuring, musical and magical, The Netherlands? Theater Terra brings this Dutch children?s series to bouncy life, blending puppets and humans seamlessly in three stories, about the fear and excitement of change, to which every member of the family can relate.
TURTLE ISLAND STRING QUARTET ? OCTOBER 8
They?re a chamber ensemble! They?re a jazz combo! They?re both! With dizzying technique and emotional prowess, TISQ uses work from Bach to Brubeck to bluegrass to wring every last drop of cool from two violins, a viola and a cello. Come along for the ride and see why this group has enjoyed international acclaim for over 20 years!
LIVE BY GEORGE! ? OCTOBER 15
For more than 12 years, George Shangrow hosted Seattle?s most popular classical music radio show. After a two-year hiatus, KPC is proud to present the return of ?Live by George,? a series of chamber music concerts, featuring four of the Northwest?s finest ensembles. Fans who have been clamoring for the show?s return will once again have the opportunity to see and hear superlative music selected and introduced by the region?s classical music icon.
HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR - OCTOBER 16
The world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir is a ministry first and a performance ensemble second. This gathering of the finest singers and musicians from various Black Churches in Harlem may not allow you to stay in your seat long, but they?re as sure to lift your soul and spirit as they are to lift you to your feet.
SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, ROMEO AND JULIET - OCTOBER 20 - 22
The work of the acclaimed Seattle Shakespeare Company, now going into its 15th season, will captivate Eastside audiences as they present one of the bard?s best romances: Romeo and Juliet, the tragic story of the star-crossed lovers who, ?with their death, bury their parents? strife.?
LUCIANA SOUZA, BRAZILIAN DUOS FEATURING ROMERO LUBAMBO - NOVEMBER 3
Whether singing traditional favorites from her native Brazil or jazz standards like ?All of Me,? this rising star will hold you transfixed with the clarity and depth of each and every note. Presented in partnership with the Earshot Jazz Festival, Luciana will perform in concert with brilliant guitarist ? and fellow Brazilian - Romero Lubambo.
N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK- NOVEMBER 4 & 5????
N*W*C*, AKA ?the smash comedy with the name nobody wants to say,? is a clever, nimble, 3-man show that takes shot after empowering shot at racial stereotypes. The co-writer/director/stars were a sensation in their Los Angeles run with comedic vignettes and touching monologues, vehicles for the ?vision of the world they?d like to see.? * Not recommended for ages 13 and under.
CARMONA FLAMENCO ? NOVEMBER 11
Featuring Marcos and Rubina Carmona, Ana Montes, Oscar Nieto and guest artist David Carmona, internationally renowned KPC favorite Carmona Flamenco returns with a riveting mixture of traditional and contemporary Spanish Gypsy art: colorful dances, soulful songs and passionate instrumentals. For more than twenty years, this modern flamenco group has toured throughout Spain and the United States, sharing with audiences fluid form, authentic guitar and undeniable passion.
SEATTLE OPERA YOUNG ARTISTS IN PERFORMANCE - NOVEMBER 12
Every year, Seattle Opera provides an opportunity for 12 bright young singers from across the country to begin their professional opera careers. Come see and hear the opera stars of tomorrow perform a selection of arias, duets, and ensembles from some of opera?s greatest works.
UNCLE BONSAI ? NOVEMBER 19
Seattle?s folk-pop darlings reunite on KPC?s stage for a concert filled with exquisite three-part harmonies and ironic, quirky humor. Uncle Bonsai is adored throughout the country for their frank musical vignettes on hapless love, endless TV, a guy named Doug and other wonders of the modern world. Andrew Ratshin, Ashley O?Keeffe and Arni Adler will present some old favorites, some brand spanking new material and are guaranteed to sing more words from the stage than in any other 5 concerts you?ll attend this year!
DAVID LANZ ? NOVEMBER 26
An icon of New Age music, Seattle-native David Lanz displays transcendental keyboard mastery whether playing the meditative compositions which he calls ?cosmic pop? or making compelling collaborative forays into smooth jazz and R&B. Come experience holiday music as only one of the most recognized names in New Age music can perform it.
TOMÁ? KUBÍNEK, CERTIFIED LUNATIC & MASTER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE - NOVEMBER 26 & 27
Poetic, outrageous and hilarious, Kubínek is much more than one of the brightest stars among the New Vaudevillians; he?s a one-man circus! Acrobat, musician, and clown, his show is uniquely inspired silliness: He flips, he flies, he croons, he clucks like a chicken. Join us for this mad maestro?s long-awaited return to KPC; if the kids have been extra good this year, you might even consider bringing them along!
BREAK! THE URBAN FUNK SPECTACULAR ? DECEMBER 2
What started out on the street corners of America?s inner cities has evolved into a distinct, dynamic dance form. Break! The Urban Funk Spectacular is nothing short of awesome, featuring mind-bending moves, gravity-defying gymnastics, and razor-sharp synchronicity. Dance has seldom been this breathtakingly irresistible!
RITA COOLIDGE WITH THE KIRKLAND CHORAL SOCIETY - DECEMBER 4
Best known for her uplifting, chart-topping renditions of ?Higher and Higher? and ?We?re All Alone,? this show features Rita accompanied by the Kirkland Choral Society. Celebrate KPChristmas with Rita?s silky-smooth delivery of holiday favorites, emotional translations of songs into her native Cherokee, selections from her new Concord Records jazz cd, And So Is Love, as well as the songs that made her famous.
SEATTLE WOMEN?S JAZZ ORCHESTRA SPECIAL GUEST, GRETA MATASSA - DECEMBER 13
Tremendous, powerful and inspiring, SWOJO joins us for a winter concert perfectly poised between songs of the season and boisterous big band favorites. Made up of many of the finest female jazz musicians in the region and the Northwest?s favorite jazz vocalist, Greta Matassa, the ensemble?s lush dynamic sound is the result of five years of thrilling audiences on two continents.
SISTER?S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM - DECEMBER 15 - 18
Nuttier than the Nutcracker and more of a kick than the Rockettes, the infamous Sister of Late Nite Catechism is back and on the case, solving the greatest mystery never told: The Mystery of the Magi?s Gold. Sister?s special forensics tools, an audience-participation living nativity and performances by a local choir are only part of the fun on this ?O? ho-ho-holy night.? For more information, visit http://www.entertainmenteventsinc.com.
LIVE BY GEORGE! BACCHUS PIANO TRIO - JANUARY 7
Bacchus is a new piano trio composed of Marjorie Kransberg-Talvi, concertmaster of the Northwest Chamber Orchestra and the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, Mara Finkelstein, principal cellist of the Northwest Sinfonietta, and Judith Cohen, pianist and artistic director of the Governor?s Chamber Music Festival. They will present a delightful evening of chamber music by Haydn, Bridge and Shostakovich.
FRANK FERRANTE AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO - JANUARY 21
Frank Ferrante has been becoming ?America?s most gifted funny man? for over 20 years. The resulting performance, more personification than impersonation, is 90 eerily good minutes of schtick, song and spontaneous audience-ribbing. ?Say the secret word, win a hundred dollars.?
JAMES COTTON BLUES BAND - JANUARY 27
?A lot of times people come expecting sad music ? I like to change their minds ?bout the blues,? says legendary harmonica-player James Cotton. Whether sweet and low-down or high-energy, foot-stompin? boogie blues, ?Mr. Superharp? and his band are sure to teach us a musical lesson we won?t soon forget.
TANGOHEART - JANUARY 28
Musical masters of the passion of longing, this Seattle-based sextet is all you need to warm your blood on a cold January night. Hailed as one of the best tango orchestras in North America, Tangoheart and their sultry guest dancers will make your blood boil with a repertoire ranging from dance hits of the golden age of tango to the nuevo tango of the late 20th Century.????
PACIFIC NORTHWEST TAP FESTIVAL MASTERS EN TAP #3 - FEBRUARY 3 & 4
The Third Annual Pacific Northwest Tap Festival returns to Kirkland Performance Center with an electrifying line-up of the best tap masters from around the nation. Emcee Tim ?Taps? Hickey & Seattle?s Johnson & Peters will be joined by internationally-recognized tap dancers Dianne Walker, Sam Weber, Lane Alexander and other special guests in an exhibition of superlative dance to live music.
CHILDREN OF UGANDA - FEBRUARY 10
?Given sorrow, they have made beauty,? Boston Globe. From the orphanages of Uganda, 20 dancers and musicians, ages eight to 18, bring their exuberant Tour of Light to KPC to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, to support the Uganda Children?s Charity Foundation, and to keep their traditional dances and songs a living, breathing art. This high-energy company is sure to captivate any audience.????
LIVE BY GEORGE! THE ODEONQUARTET - FEBRUARY 11
The odeonquartet performs music of all periods ? from early classical repertoire all the way to music composed for video games! The virtuosic ability of each of the members makes them equally at home with the most demanding Beethoven quartet or a simple Appalachian folk tune. Come and enjoy the variety!
LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO - FEBRUARY 18
Picture Norma Desmond sending up ballet classics. Now picture her as a man in tights. This begins to approach the stately silliness of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Wearing out closetsful of extra large toe shoes, ?The Trocks? have been comedians en pointe for over 30 years, skillfully executing their moves, and bringing the pleasure of dance ? and the catfights only prima dons could achieve ? to the widest possible audience.
THE DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND & DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS - FEBRUARY 24
Celebrate Mardi Gras with a spectacular double-bill of the most soulful music found north of the Mason-Dixon line! Internationally-known as the only sure-fire way to get a party started, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, traditional brass band legends from New Orleans, will be joined by the iron men of gospel, The Dixie Hummingbirds. Together, they hit the stage with over 100 years of soul-stirring, romping musical experience.
TERRANCE SIMIEN & THE ZYDECO EXPERIENCE - FEBRUARY 25
To complete KPC?s Mardi Gras weekend, direct from New Orleans, experience the buoyant voodoo of zydeco as only a master can perform it. Bouncing around the stage like a gleeful, accordion-playing teddy bear, Terrance Simien is an irresistibly energetic musician and vocalist. The biggest challenge of your evening will be staying in your seat! Laissez le Bon Temp Rouler!
SARAKASI, THE AMAZING AFRICAN ACROBATS - MARCH 11 & 12
In the wake of the sold-out runs of the Peking Acrobats and The Shanghai Circus, KPC proudly presents Sarakasi: a fusion of cultures from Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia performed with authentic music and costumes. Sarakasi is the first truly authentic African circus, developed completely in Africa, utilizing native choreographers, costume and set designers, and featuring the athleticism of these truly gifted performers.
KPC MUSICAL! FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - MARCH 31, APRIL 1 & 2
?Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!? After the smash success of last season?s The Music Man, KPC?s second in-house musical ? produced in cooperation with Studio East - is a true American classic, celebrating a sense of community. This ensemble piece about Tevye and his daughters, featuring such well-known songs as ?Sunrise, Sunset,? ?Matchmaker, Matchmaker,? and ?If I Were A Rich Man,? is sure to be a family treat, whether you participate on-stage or in the audience.
NATALIE MACMASTER - APRIL 18 & 19
Described by some as ?a one-woman Riverdance,? Natalie MacMaster is known for her electrifying stage energy, breath-defying step-dancing and, quite simply, some of the finest fiddling to be found anywhere. In her return to our stage after a sold out, standing room only concert in 2002, come join this tireless blond-haired whirlwind from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and her band as they blow the roof off KPC!
CANTABILE ? APRIL 22
From humble beginnings at Cambridge, to appearances from London?s West End to Carnegie Hall, for over twenty years this witty British vocal quartet has mixed humor and exquisite harmony into a repertoire ranging from Madrigal to do-wop, Beethoven to the Beatles, resulting in a rich evening of zany, divine a cappella.
LIVE BY GEORGE! SANSSOUCI - APRIL 29
For the last performance in the series, curator George Shangrow takes the stage as part of the ensemble: Seattle septet SansSouci will perform virtuoso concerti and chamber music for flute, harpsichord and strings, composed mostly for noble patrons for performance by court musicians in grand 18th-century palaces.
COWBOY JUNKIES - MAY 20
Behind the deeply sublime voice of lead singer Margo, this family band has been defying definition for more than twenty years with hits like ?Sweet Jane? and ?Murder, Tonight, In the Trailer Park.? Now a little bit country, now a little bit rock ?n? roll, always a whole lot jazzy bluesy funky, the Cowboy Junkies are intelligent, elegant and gut-wrenchingly direct - hard to describe and impossible to beat.????
SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING - MAY 25 -27
The work of the acclaimed Seattle Shakespeare Company, now going into its 15th season, will captivate Eastside audiences as they present Much Ado About Nothing which proves that, if nothing else, ?man is a giddy creature.?
KPC is also proud to include as part of our season a myriad of performances by our locally based producing partners. Jim French Productions Imagination Theatre, The Comedy Underground, Showtunes! Theatre Company, Washington Wind Symphony, Keith Highlanders Pipe Band, Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, StoryBook Theater, Bronn Journey, International Ballet Theatre, Seattle Baroque Orchestra, and Kirkland Choral Society all play an integral part in the vast array of companies and artistic genres that will be found on our stage.
For more information, visit http://www.kpcenter.org
About Kirkland Performance Center
Responsive to the cultural needs of the community, Kirkland Performance Center provides a home for the presentation, support and promotion of the performing arts. Located in downtown Kirkland, this 402-seat theatre hosts more than 250 music, theatre and dance performances each year from acclaimed regional, national and international artists. In addition to presenting performing arts, KPC conducts educational outreach programs through ?A World of Arts?, a program designed to bring visiting artists into the classrooms for in-depth workshops. KPC also hosts a variety of community programs, including the King County Library Lecture Series and ?Kids-at-Play, ? an opportunity for students to perform in a professional setting at KPC. For more information and to review upcoming performances, please visit http://www.kpcenter.org.
The 2005-2006 Season is made possible in part by: Evergreen Healthcare, The Boeing Company, Woodmark Hotel on Lake Washington, Direct Mailing Solutions, Univar USA, King County Journal Newspapers, Northwest Aerials Gymnastics & Dance, Woodinville Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Merit Financial, Frontier Bank, Software 21, Oasis Complete Facilities Management, Western States Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFund, 4Culture, Washington State Arts Commission and generous support from The City of Kirkland.
Media Contact: Rachel Jackson, PR Manager
Administration: (425) 828-0422
Box Office Phone: (425) 893-9900
Website: http://www.kpcenter.org
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